[History]: Old world ships. Part I

My hometown is Odessa. Our city is located on the Black sea coast. We always see a lot of different ships. Many residents of Odessa make souvenir ships, someone collects or photographs. The history of the ships is very ancient. I have always been interested in this topic. I want to share with you photos of old ships and tell you a little story about each ship. I have a lot of information, so the theme of ships will be in several posts. Let's go together to the magical world of shapes and sails of old ships! Each story of the ship is unique. All countries tried to conquer the water expanses. There were many successes and failures. In today's world, we see that the ancestors did not work in vain.

The photo shows the ship " Chinese junk"

According to Chinese legend, the junk was first created by the son of the Nymph – the first great ruler of China Fu Hsieh, who was born in 2852 BC Apparently that's why the peoples of South-East Asia and the Far East, revered by her people for a living creature, with character and charm.

Shows the junk had a length of 45.2 m, width 9.2 m. On three masts without stays with the spire raised the heavy sails of shingles associated horizontal slats that gave the opportunity if necessary to reduce the area (take a reef). The height of the main mast is 28.5 m, the diameter at the base is about 1 m. the Steering wheel was raised and lowered with a windlass. It had no steering loops and was held by cables running from the heel of the steering wheel under the ship and fixed in the nose. A set of junks had 37 frames, which provided the strength of the body, and waterproof bulkheads-unsinkable. Such junks could be found even in 1940, one of them, according to experts, was 150 years old.

In front of you on photos old Spanish ship Nao "Santa Maria»

The ship was made in the Spanish city of Santander on the Atlantic ocean. It was launched in 1460.

Often the flagship of X. Columbus is called a Caravella, but this is not true. In his diaries, the great Navigator has repeatedly expressed regret about the poor maneuverability of "Santa Maria", which he called" nao " (lat. "navis" – ship). Based on the analysis of numerous figures and very scarce data, which were contained in the ship's log x. Columbus (or rather, in extant copies of it), it can be assumed that the sailing arms of "Santa Maria" consisted of a straight grotto, straight Fock and trapezoidal Marseilles above them, oblique sails on the bison and a blind under the bushprit. In the bow and stern there were add-ons. Thus, in its sailing weapons and other parameters "Santa Maria" can be attributed not only to the nao, but also to the caracca. The averaged data of the vessel dimensions are as follows: length 23 m, width 6.7 m, draft 2.8 m, displacement 237 t (load capacity 100 ha). Armament consisted of four 20-pounders, six 12-pounders, eight 6-pounders and several smaller guns (springhallow) and mortars and about a hundred pound heavy muskets. The crew of 90 people. Just imagine that Christopher Columbus sailed on this type of ship!!!

In front of you on the images of the English Bark "MAYFLOWER»

The three-masted barque, 19.5 m long and with a displacement of about 180 tons, was built in 1615. On 6 (16) September of the same year, the ship left Plymouth with 102 passengers on Board and, 67 days later, landed on the American shore in Massachusetts Bay (port of Provincetown). There was founded the English colony of the first settlers ("pilgrim fathers").

Not preserved any drawings or other documents about this barque, known only to some of its size and type. In 1947, the society of immigrants decided to recreate the ship as a monument-Museum. In 1957, the new bark "Mayflower" for 53 days crossed the Atlantic ocean and became the eternal Parking lot in the port of Provincetown.

In the photo you can see the old ship Venetian Nave

In the middle ages, the military and commercial fleets of Venice were the most powerful and numerous in the Mediterranean. During the Crusades (1096-1270) Venice was the main supplier of naves, which could take on Board up to 1500 people. In the following centuries, the design of these vessels was constantly changing, and by the beginning of the XVI century the Venetian four-masted nave had a completely perfect shape of the hull and significant dimensions: the maximum length of 28.7 m, length of the waterline 25 m, maximum width 8.36 m, draft up to 3 m, displacement of about 600 t. Fore - and the mainmast carrying square rigged, the second mainsail and mizzen-mast – Latin. The total area of the sails was more than 770 m *2. This sail allowed us to walk pretty cool to wind. Large naves unlike other vessels had several anchors (up to 7) to prevent demolition during Parking.

The pictures are very beautiful Swedish war Ship "Vasa»

The ship was built in 1628 in Stockholm and named "Vasa» in honor of the Royal dynasty. Swedish king Gustav II Adolf demanded from the Dutch shipbuilders that they create the fastest and most powerful ship. The king's wish was granted. Built the ship had a displacement of 1300 tons length (without bowsprit) 62 m, width 11,7 m, draft 4,7 m. the Armament was 64 guns of various caliber. The crew of 137 people. On Board were 300 infantry. Three masts carried sails with a total area of 2000 m *2. The height of the fore-mast from the keel is 50 m. Shipbuilders understood that stability of the ship from-for rather small width and heavy arms (about 80 t) will be insufficient, but didn't begin to contradict the king. On August 10 (20), 1628, Vasa departed from the berth for its first and last voyage: a sudden barrage of water sharply tilted it to the left side, through open ports (the ship was preparing for artillery salute), water gushed, and the ship sank for a few minutes at a depth of 35 m. After 333 years, Vasa was raised, restored and since 1964 is the national Maritime Museum of Sweden in Stockholm.

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At first glance, you might think that the old ships are similar to each other. But it's not. If you analyze the technical characteristics in detail, they will be very different. I'll be in every post to show and tell you about 5 old ships that posts do not get much bigger.